North Carolina's highest court has decided it won't fast-track appeals of results in two lawsuits initiated by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper challenging new laws that eroded his power to choose members of several boards and commissions. The state Supreme Court denied on Friday the requests from Republican legislative leaders sued by Cooper for the court to hear the case without the intermediate-level Court of Appeals considering them first. That could lengthen the process that leads to final decisions. One lawsuit focuses on the makeup of the State Board of Elections, whose members are now still appointed by Cooper. A new law would give the appointment power to the legislature.
